Sanctum 2 Hands-On Preview (@IGN)

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Nathan Meunier

“It’s great to see Coffee Stain Studios is taking a much-needed baseball bat to the ol’ bees nest for Sanctum 2, the upcoming sequel to its cool first-person shooter/tower defense hybrid, upping the danger and the action in the process. For instance, unlike their more docile brethren from the original game, Sanctum 2’s swarms of alien bug creatures want to gnaw your face off and curb stomp you into nothingness. They don’t mind taking a quick detour for a little human snack as they malevolently march towards your power core.”

Check out the full preview here at IGN.

Terraria (Console Version) Review (@IGN)

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Nathan Meunier

“Imagine what Minecraft might be like if it had been made with pixel art sprites and released in the Super Nintendo era. That sums up the overall vibe of Terraria pretty well. This devious little indie sandbox game borrows so many ideas that it essentially is Minecraft in 2D, but it also beefs up the familiar gameplay in exciting ways. There’s a lot more creepy-crawly stuff to kill, and the staggering number of deadly doodads you can MacGyver together to slay them with is mouth-watering. There’s some gnarly fun to be had in these uncharted depths.”

Check out my review of the console versions of Terraria, including a snazzy video review, here at IGN.

The WarZ: Murder of the Fittest preview (@IGN)

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“In The War Z’s alternate version of history, Colorado is a cold, lonely place where the dead rise from their graves and seek out the last remnants of survivors to snack on. The droves of zombies congregating in the towns and cities nestled in this bucolic patch of countryside are deadly indeed in large numbers, but they’re not what concerns me the most. It’s those that are still breathing you really have watch out for.”

Check out my full hands-on preview here at IGN.

Black Knight Sword Review (@IGN)

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“Diving into Suda 51’s latest bizarre creation, it’s no big shocker to find Black Knight Sword steeped in abundant freaky style and general weirdness. Stabbing microwaves until they spew fountains of beating human hearts, purchasing power-ups from a giant talking eyeball with six mouths, and battling against a two-story wolf beast with the demonic face of Jim Morrison is all par for the course in this odd fantasy platformer. But despite all the “WTF” craziness each stage throws at you, it’s disappointing the same level of creativity isn’t found in the gameplay itself.”

Check out the full review here at IGN.

Strike Suit Zero Hands-On (@IGN)

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“Rocketing through the stars in a hi-tech spacecraft is almost always 400 percent more awesome when you can transform mid-flight into a giant ass-kicking robot and unleash hell on the nearest swarm of enemy starfighters. Strike Suit Zero expertly channels the spirit of Robotech and its fellow mecha-minded ilk to make you feel like one bad mofo at moments, but I like the way it makes you work for it first.”

Check out the full preview here over at IGN.

Guns of Icarus Online Review (@IGN)

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“Being stuck on an airship with a skeleton crew of strangers tasked with keeping it from being blown out of the sky makes Guns of Icarus Online one of the most thrilling multiplayer co-op experiences and also the most aggravating. On deck, everyone has a role to fill: someone has to steer the hulking bird, man its guns, and make repairs when things catch fire and go to hell. If anyone slacks off or performs their duties haphazardly, everyone dies. But despite some glitches and the occasional frustrations of wrangling inconsistent crewmates, there’s a certain undeniable satisfaction that comes from surviving an intense battle with your ship held together by duct tape and chicken wire.”

Check out the full review here at IGN.com

Diaspora: Shattered Armistice Review (@IGN)

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“The story of humanity’s last-ditch struggle to escape extinction at the hands of the Cylons certainly hooked me, but Battlestar Galactica’s phenomenal space battle sequence are what really set my inner sci-fi nerd’s heart aflutter. Re-living those thrilling moments from inside the cockpit of a Viper instead of from the sidelines makes playing Diaspora: Shattered Armistice a real treat at times. Despite a few rough edges, this impressive fan-made Battlestar Galactica homage captures the intense rush of blowing the frak out of Cylon raiders as you rocket full-throttle towards a fully-powered Basestar.”

Check out the full review here at IGN.

Thirty Flights of Loving Review (@IGN)

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“Sometimes the most intriguing tales are told without uttering a single word. Blendo Games’ Brendon Chung once again proves himself a master of succinct, abstract first-person storytelling with Thirty Flights of Loving, a short and punchy follow-up to the much buzzed-about 2009 indie freeware hit Gravity Bone. The fact he manages to cram an enjoyably dizzying story into a mere dozen minutes of gameplay is a feat in itself, but what’s truly impressive is the narrative weight and emotional impact it delivers in such a short span of time.”

Check out the full review here at IGN.

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Hybrid Review (@IGN)

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“The doom and gloom of brutal sci-fi warfare may be a far cry from the bubbly color and cutesy sheen of developer 5th Cell’s most famous franchise, Scribblenauts, yet the studio’s creative touch doesn’t shine as brightly in its new divergent online-only multiplayer shooter — at least not on the surface. Hybrid masks its highly innovative third-person combat with generic factions, standard weapons, and a presentation that’s been cribbed many times before. But underneath all of that lies some of the craziest, most unique multiplayer mayhem I’ve hopped into in a long time.”

Check out the full review here at IGN.

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Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends Review (@IGN)

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Nathan Meunier

“When the engine is gunning away full-bore with a satisfying howl and the scenery is whipping by in a blur, it’s easy to appreciate the raw power found in the gorgeously designed racing beasts in Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends. An inherent lust for the iconic red sexiness cranked out by the renowned Italian sports car manufacturer will certainly enhance your appreciation of this high-speed homage to all things Ferrari, but it’s a shame that a draconian difficulty curve puts the brakes on the fun too soon.”